Recently, I had the privilege of traveling to Thorne Bay, Prince of Wales Island in the Southeast Alaska Alexander Archipelago. It remains a world a little off the beaten track. The location is rich with history of indigenous people, skillfully carved totems, logging and fishing industries and natural beauty. Sitka Blacktail Deer and black bear abound, fish teem the waters both inland and deep ocean. Dungeness crab and spot shrimp skittle under the quiet bays in "secret" locations carefully guarded. The tall, deep forests are dense with Sitka Spruce, Yellow Cedar and hemlock. Spending a week there brought new and inspiring sights and knowledge each day.
I was among a group gathered for some strategic planning but not to get in the way of fishing some of the deep channels of Craig, Warren Island and Sea Otter Sound. I witnessed displays of flora and fauna that even after living in this state for 45 years, I had never witnessed before. Whales feeding on herring boiling at the surface, bald eagles skillfully picking fish from the surface, sea lions chasing our catch to the boat, and the tiny fawns running to keep up with their mothers to stay ahead of the black bears and the giant flatfish of deep water being cranked to the surface by sweating humans working tiny winches, were all so wonderful to take in.
Psalm 19:1-4
The heavens
declare the glory of God;
And the firmament shows His handiwork.
2 Day unto day utters speech,
And night unto night reveals knowledge.
3 There is no speech nor language
Where their voice is not heard.
4 Their line has gone out through all the
earth,
And their words to the end of the world.
The intricacies of the balance of predator and prey, the tides in sync with the moon, the rains watering the deep green forests, and all with such beauty that words fail to adequately describe. Some think this is all a “fortuitous accident” but the beholding eye readily identifies design, purpose and intention.
By definition anything described as an “accident” is ruinous, broken, failed, marred and dysfunctional. What I experienced was not described by those words. Beautiful, harmonious, synergetic, robust, and full of wonder more accurately describe the sights and sounds of Prince of Wales Island. Being immersed in an experience like this also gives me reassurance that the same God of creation is the God that made me and you with the same thoughtfulness of design, purpose and intention. We are not minor accidents in a world made by accident, but an intentional part of the grand and glorious creation of a thoughtful, caring and immensely powerful Creator.
I join with the heavens declaring the glory
of God.
